Name: Milli Arakawa
Current Position: Senior Director of Finance
At EYA for: 5+ years
This month’s employee spotlight is Milli Arakawa. Milli manages the accounting team and oversees the financing of EYA and our individual projects. Along with her work at EYA, Milli is passionate about community service and enjoys making a positive difference in people’s lives.
What do you enjoy most about your current position at EYA?
I LOVE LOVE LOVE working with the accounting team. They are very passionate about what they do and they are always striving for excellence. They do a great job of keeping accurate records and ensuring that we have secure controls over our accounting processes. Everyone has their own strengths and talents making for a fun and dynamic team to work with.
What makes EYA unique or special compared to your work experiences elsewhere?
EYA is really committed to ensuring that everyone is growing both professionally and personally. We are all very fortunate to work at a company where management is committed to the personal development of each employee and where we are pushed to be excellent people in both our workplace and in our communities.
What are your hobbies?
I love to travel and spend time with my husband and two daughters. I also enjoy recording journal entries and reading the latest accounting literature published by the FASB, IASB and Big 4 accounting firms.
What was the best vacation you ever took?
After graduating from college, I traveled to Russia and volunteered at an orphanage. It was there that I truly experienced creating connections with people across language and cultural barriers. The kids I met were the most amazing people I have ever met. They reminded me of what was important in life and they inspired me to do things bigger than myself.
How do you connect your love for philanthropy with your job at EYA?
I am extremely grateful that the leaders of our organization are committed to community outreach and philanthropy as an important cornerstone to the culture of EYA. The establishment of the EYA Foundation is just one tangible example, but in our neighborhoods, like Capitol Quarter and Old Town Commons, you can see how EYA has helped improve our local communities and made a difference in the lives of people living there. It is an honor to be part of a team that is purposeful about making lives better for other people.